Sunday, January 18, 2026

Latest News and Views from Iran and the World

IRGC says seized Togo-flagged tanker carrying smuggled fuel

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy announced that it has confiscated a tanker carrying over 700,000 liters of smuggled oil with the flag of Togo in the Persian Gulf.

Train carrying 800 passengers derails in Russia, casualties reported

At least two people were killed and more than 100 others injured on Monday when a passenger train carrying 800 people collided with a Kamaz truck, derailing eight carriages.

About 10k students, 400 teachers killed in Gaza war: Ministry

The Palestinian Ministry of Education has announced that about 10,000 students and 400 teachers have been killed in the Gaza Strip as a result of the ongoing Israeli military onslaught since October last year.

Three trapped mountaineers saved from Iran’s Oshtorankouh mountain

Rescue tams saved three mountaineers who were trapped in a life-threatening situation in Oshtrankouh mountain in western Iran.

Data: Iran’s non-oil exports rise 8.3 percent

Iran’s export of non-oil items has increased by $1.35 billion during the first four months of the current year on the Iranian calendar, staring on March 20, according to official figures.

Beirut flights cancelled or delayed amid fears of Israeli military operation against Hezbollah

Flights to and from Beirut airport were cancelled or delayed on Monday as tensions escalated between Israel and armed Lebanese group Hezbollah after a strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights killed 12 people.

UN says only 14% of Gaza not under Israel’s evacuation orders

The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, has stated only 14 percent of areas in the besieged Gaza Strip are not currently under the Israeli “evacuation orders”.

Iran says has reined in Daesh infiltrators from Syria

Iran’s intelligence minister says security forces in the country have restrained Daesh terrorists who had entered the country from the western border with Syria, dismissing reports that the militants pose a threat, ILNA news agency reported.

France arrests teen for online threats against Israel’s president: Report

French counter-terrorism police have detained a 15-year-old for making threats against Israeli President Isaac Herzog on social media, the Le Parisien has reported, citing sources close to the investigation.

Negotiators say Netanyahu softened position on Gaza for sake of ceasefire: Report

International negotiators insist that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has softened his position on resolving the conflict with Palestinian movement Hamas in the besieged Gaza Strip, showing more flexibility in order to achieve a truce, the New York Times has reported, citing sources.

Kremlin says Putin ready to meet with Iran’s Pezeshkian in October

Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing to meet with his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian at a BRICS summit in Kazan in October, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has told Izvestia.

US raises Ukraine war in talks with India

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar have discussed the Russia-Ukraine conflict on the sidelines of a summit in Japan, according to a statement from Washington.

Israel says it struck Hezbollah sites deep inside Lebanon

The Israeli military says it carried out a series of strikes across Lebanon after blaming Hezbollah for Saturday’s deadly attack in the occupied Golan Heights. Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the Lebanese group had crossed a “red line”, raising fears of regional escalation.

Fires continue to burn Iran’s southwestern forests

The forests and pastures of Bahrehana and Chah Talkhab-e Olya in Basht in the southwestern Iranian province of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad caught fire on Sunday morning and the blaze has yet to be contained.

Turkey threatens to attack Israel in order to help Palestine

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned Ankara might enter Israel as it did with Libya and Nagorno-Karabakh; in order to help the Palestinians.

China ranks 1st, Iran secures 4th place at 54th intl. physics Olympiad in Isfahan

China has secured the top spot at the 54th International Physics Olympiad, followed by Russia, Romania, and Iran in second, third, and fourth places respectively.

Taliban accept Iran’s reservations for acting consul in Mashhad

Sources have reported that the interim Afghan government has finally accepted the Islamic Republic of Iran's request to follow the Vienna Convention's procedures for introducing, approving, and accepting diplomats. Consequently, the "acting" consul appointed by the Taliban for the Afghan consulate in Mashhad, northeastern Iran, has been accepted by Iran.

Tehran air quality deteriorates to unhealthy levels for all age groups

Following a rise in temperatures, Tehran's air quality has significantly deteriorated.

Pezeshkian names reformist politician Aref as first VP

Iran's new President, Masoud Pezeshkian, has appointed current MP and the veteran reformist politician Mohammad Reza Aref as Iran's first vice president.

Iran’s footballer Taremi scores more goals for Inter Milan

Inter Milan’s Iranian striker scored two goals on Saturday into a pre-season friendly against LaLiga side Las Palmas and is now up to four goals from his three appearances in the Italian football.

Hezbollah clears out key sites in preparation for possible Israeli strike

Hezbollah is on high alert, two security sources have told Reuters, amid rising tensions after a deadly attack on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights that Tel Aviv blamed on the Lebanese group.

Russia warns of mirror response to US missile deployment in Germany

Moscow will consider itself free from a moratorium on the deployment of medium and shorter-range missiles if the US places missiles in Germany, Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned in an address to sailors at the Navy Day parade in St. Petersburg.

Nearly 200 UNRWA workers killed in Gaza: Chief

The head of UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, has warned the death toll among the agency’s staff since the onset of the Gaza war amounts to the largest in the world body’s history.

Iran Leader endorses new President Pezeshkian, slams Israel’s criminality

The Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei formally endorsed Massoud Pezeshkian as the country's ninth president on Sunday and reiterated the Islamic Republic's general policies, including its steadfast support for Palestinians amid the Israeli massacre.

Iran president pledges again would try to promote ‘fairness’, ‘justice’

Iran’s newly elected president renewed his presidential campaign promise that he would seek to pursue a policy that would lead to enhanced ‘fairness’ and ‘justice’ during his term in office.